Holiday?

I've taken this week as annual leave. The day job has been rather busy so I've ended up with lots of leave and flexi hours that I'm loathe to lose. Plus, I could use a break. :-)

Today started with lots of bits and pieces that needed seeing to, followed by a bike ride (hence the shot) to the Scottish Parliament to see the Andy Warhol exhibit, followed by lots more chores and then two clients. I finished work around 8 pm and by the time I made dinner and sat down, it was past 8:30 pm. Dr T worked much harder than me today. Must try harder tomorrow find that holiday.

I was struck by a couple of things today. I liked the Warhol exhibition more than I expected to. We were directed to it by stylised dollar signs on the floor of the Parliament which I and a friend objected to - tax payers of Scotland, including us, paid rather a lot for the Parliament and it didn't seem right to have a symbol of American economic might on its floors (with no disrespect intended to my American friends). In the explanation next to the pieces of the dollar sign, it said "In treating the symbol this way, the artist raises the question about its potency as a symbol of the national identity and power of America." I felt that our response showed that the symbol is still potent...

The Parliament is also hosting an exhibit on Andrew Carnegie, which is also includes the Warhol exhibit. I know very little about this Scottish born American but what I liked what I read. What a guy! I had no idea that the Carnegie Corporation of New York underwrote the creation of Sesame Street in the mid-60s as a form of pre-school education for 3-5 year olds to learn the alphabet and counting to prepare them for school. Sesame Street went on air in 1969 when I was 2 years old. Studies have shown that kids who watched the show did better in school, even up into high school, than those who did not. I was one of those kids. I owe Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch a big thank you - thanks! What I didn't know is that the show has been adapted all over the world and made to suit the needs of those countries. In Afghanistan the show has a big emphasis on getting girls into school and in South Africa they've created a puppet whose parents have died of Aids and who is living positively with HIV. Wow! Thank you Sesame Street and thank you Andrew Carnegie.